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Zeal Wellness Drink/Supplement

First up on the docket, for my never ending scrutiny, is the original “wellness” drink that propelled them into church pyramid marketing stardom. People sure to make rash claims about this stuff, lets get started with poking at a fellow wordpresser. (He actually seems like a really nice guy, nothing personal). You should read the “about” page of my blog to figure out some of the concerns I am stating here.

Oh, the cranberry zinger? Well, I have seen claims by people on zeal about how they have not touched caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks… ect) since they started zeal. I love how he was magically energized at the mere thought of drinking this. Ironically, the skepdic dictionary seems to define this anomaly quite well. http://skepdic.com/placebo.html Some have even claimed that it didn’t contain caffeine, others didn’t know. On their main website, they will not disclose the amount of ingredients in Zeal Wellness. Furthermore, it contains not one, not two, but three naturally occuring sources of caffiene. Guarana, green tea, and yerba mate. Lack of research indeed. A quick look at the zeal label and a little bit of wikipedia could reveal this, scientific studies not required. This ties into the claim that it lowers blood pressure. Caffeine does the exact opposite, actually. Since we don’t know how much of each ingredient is in there, since their blend is so “proprietary,” we would be unable to assess the amount of caffeine and the safety of consuming this if you are hypertensive. Furthermore, I have seen posts of people self diagnosing themselves into not needing their blood pressure medication after 3 days. I would consider that scary. Of course, they wouldn’t follow up with anything saying that their blood pressure went up, because after all, they want to sell the stuff. It takes an average of 3 weeks to 3 months for herbal supplements to build up to therapeutic levels in your body. I highly doubt it did anything.

Bioavailabilty: I have been told that the vitamins and minerals in zeal are far more bioavailable than those regularly available in supplements. However, yet again, if you were to read the label, you would find a plethora of ingredients which are available in an OTC multivitamin. On a side note, you should always choose a USP supplement if possible. Plenty of multivitamins fit that bill. If you want to know more about that visit: http://www.usp.org

List of multivitamins in Zeal Wellness which are shared with the naturemade on my shelf:

Obviously, if they can’t even be absorbed by me from the multivitamin, why would the same supplements be absorbed better from Zeal? Quick answer, they aren’t. Basically Zeal is a multivitamin with potentially dangerous herbals added. The level of risk varies with whatever life situation you are in. Certain herbs in this can cause abortifacient, hepatoxic, and tetragenic effects in humans. Which really burned me when I saw this suggested as a prenatal vitamin.

Now, I am going to list the ingredients, with a bunch of references added to it. I am going to give my summary of the studies I have read. I do not have the time to document all of the studies, but these should give you a quick, general idea of how these things work and whether they are safe, which most of them have not been proven safe for therapeutic medicinal doses. Scary, huh? Yall ready for this? It is going to be a ton of reading. There are going to be tons of links for the references, so bare with me, I don’t know how to make them look pretty.

”Proprietary ENRICH blend”:

Rice Bran – Is possibly effective at helping with Atopic dermatitis (eczema), Hypercalciuria, and Hypercholesterolemia. There are little to no safety concerns for rice bran. What really makes me laugh about stabilized rice bran, is how it is made. I mean this is an all-natural supplement, right? Funny thing is, this stuff started out as livestock feed. Waste humans wouldn’t want to consume, but with some clever chemistry you can. First off, you have to stabilize rice bran because a naturally occurring lipase enzyme with cause it to oxidize rather quick. There are many ways of doing this. Some processes include extremely high heat, pressure, chemical (read sodium hydroxide) and enzymatically. Seems pretty dang processed to me. Then after the oil has been discarded or taken out for rice bran oil, it is shipped all over the world. I love how turning garbage into food has become an American tradition.

Fructooligosaccharides – Orally, fructo-oligosaccharides are used for constipation, traveler’s diarrhea, increasing fecal mass, and reducing serum cholesterol. Fructo-oligosaccharides are also used as prebiotics. It seems ineffective at preventing travellers diarrhea. It also appears to be relatively safe to take, however, this has not been tested in pregnant women and therefore should avoid using of tor supplemental purposes.

Moringa – Orally, Moringa is used for anemia and many GI complications, and topically as a treatment for atheletes foot. Moringa is also rich in vitamins and minerals. The roots should be avoided due to an alkaloid isolated in the root which can cause fatal paralysis. There is insufficient data as to the effectiveness of moringa for the above conditions. This can be used safely by consumption of the seeds, fruit, and leaves by most. Moringa has also proven to be an herbal abortifacient.

Guarana –
Orally, guarana is used for weight loss, to enhance athletic performance, to reduce mental and physical fatigue, hypotension, and as a diuretic. This is mostly safe if guarana is eaten as it is in food or drink. Guarana contains about double the amount of caffeine as coffee. Use of more than 300 mg/day of caffeine can lead to dependency, tachyarrhythmias, and sleep disturbances. Pregnant women should avoid ingesting more than 200 mg/day. Guarana has the highest natural concentration of caffeine of any naturally occurring source. BTW zeal reps, guaranine IS caffeine. Same chemical make up and everything.

Gotu Kola – Orally, gotu kola is used for reducing fatigue, anxiety, depression, improving memory and intelligence, Alzheimer’s disease, venous insufficiency including varicose veins, wound healing, and increasing longevity. It can also be used topically for healing scars. Gotu Kola is likely safe used topically. Used as a supplement, it is still likely safe, however there concerns of hepatoxicity in some patients. Gotu Kola is most likely effective for veinous insufficiencies.

Alfalfa – Medicinally, Alfalfa is traditionally used as a diuretic for the kidneys and bladder. It is rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K4. High usage of the seeds over a long term has been associated with pancytopenia and drug-induced lupus effects.
In supplemental form, it is potentially unsafe to pregnant women because it may contain constituents for estrogenic activity.

Chlorella – Orally, chlorella is used as a food supplement and source of nutrients, including protein, nucleic acids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. There have been studies for its effectiveness in fibromyalgia and glioma. Results are inconclusive. It appears to be relatively safe to take, but has not been evaluated in pregnant and lactating mothers.

Broccoli – Medicinally, broccoli is used for preventing cancer and boosting immune function. It is considered safe to consume in food form, however, little research has been done on the safety of therapeutic medicinal amounts. It probably doesn’t matter. Broccoli is loaded with antioxidants. It is a freaking powerhouse. Eat it with wanton reckless abandon every day if you so choose. It is high in vitamin c, fiber, and deliciousness. The real question is, with something so good, especially smothered in grass fed butter, why oh why would you supplement it?

Cranberry – Therapeutically , cranberry is used for prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections, neurogenic bladder, as a urinary deodorizer for people with incontinence, prevention of urinary catheter blockage, and to heal skin around urostomy stomas. It is safe when consumed as food or in juice, and in non-pregnant adults, it has been proven safe in many trials. It has also been proven to possibly be effective in preventing UTIs. The dried version is also wonderful on salads alongside goat cheese.

”Proprietary Restore blend:”

Milk thistle – Milk thistle seems to be effective for some diabetes treatements, Allergic rhinitis, and Dyspepsia . Milk thistle seems to be tolerated well in adults up to 41 months in clinical studies.

Bacopa – Traditionally, brahmi (bacopa) is used for Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, cognitive impairment and memory loss, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), allergies, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It seems possibly effective in cognitive functions. It seems possibly ineffective at treating Irritable bowel syndrome. It seems relatively safe in clinical trials lasting up to 12 weeks, and has not been evaluated in pregnant and lactating mothers. I think the mental stimulus for Alzheimer’s is the most captivating aspect of it. I think this one is worth further investigation.

Ashwagandha – Orally, ashwagandha is used for arthritis, anxiety, insomnia, tumors, tuberculosis, abortifacient, and chronic liver disease. There is insufficient evidence regarding the effectiveness of this. Pregnant mothers should avoid taking this due to it’s traditional use as an Abortifacient. In short, there is no proven point of this stuff other than to try and induce an abortion.
Green tea extract – Green tea is used to improve cognitive performance and mental alertness. It is also used to treat stomach disorders, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches. It is also used as a weight loss supplement and for it’s anti-oxidant properties. It appears safe when used in concentrations normally used and foods, and short terms medicinally. It is possibly unsafe when the extract is used long term medicinally due to it’s large caffeine content. Use of more than 300 mg/day of caffeine can lead to dependency, tachyarrhythmias, and sleep disturbances. Pregnant women should avoid ingesting more than 200 mg/day. It seems likely effective when used for genital warts and for mental alertness, due to the caffeine. It may also be effective in treating hypotension, hyperlipidemia, ovarian cancer risks and parkinsons disease. This is mainly due to the EGCG, a potent antioxidant found in green tea. Green tea also works well steeped in water and paired with a touch of honey. That is where I would get mine.

Wild blueberry – Historically, blueberry is used for preventing cataracts and glaucoma, ulcers, urinary tract infections (UTIs), multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fever, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, improving circulation, and as a laxative. It is safe when used in the amounts which occur in foods. However, the safety of supplemental blueberry has not been evaluated. There is insufficient research to evaluate wild blueberry for its medicinal properties. That being said, blueberries are packed with flavonoids called anthocyanins. Blueberry juice did seem to improve cognitive function in those who are aging. Yet again, these delicious, nutritious, bite sized gems go great in salads, real yogurt (not corn syrup/chemical laden yogurt with blue dye in them) or just popped into your mouth. Again, I would just eat these because they are wonderful and not take the powder.

Tumeric – Turmeric has been used for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, hemorrhage, diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, jaundice, hepatitis, and liver and gallbladder conditions. Tumeric has been safely used in clinical trials lasting up to 8 months in clinical trials. Therapeutic amounts of tumeric should not be used by pregnant women due to the fact that it can stimulate menstrual flow in the uterus. (How much is in zeal? Oh yeah, proprietary blend, no one knows) It seems effective at treating dyspepsia and osteoarthritis. I am sure not hating on turmeric, it is packed with the antioxidant curicumin. It is also packed with deliciousness, as it’s slightly sweet and smoky flavor make it a good base for curry, or just sprinkled liberally on anything really. Be careful though! It will turn your hands yellow.

Red ginseng(Korean Ginseng)- Red ginseng seems to be effective at treating COPD, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and cognitive function. It is possibly ineffective for quality of life improvements and athletic performance. Red ginseng seems possibly safe when used orally up to 6 months, however long term use may be unsafe due to its potential hormone like effects. It is unsafe for pregnant mothers due to the fact it may present a teratogen effect to the fetus during pregnancy. It is also unsafe for use in children due to its hormonal effects.

Grape seed extract – Grape is medicinally used for preventing cardiovascular disease, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, atherosclerosis, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, edema associated with injury or surgery, and myocardial or cerebral infarction. Grapes are safe as food and have GRAS status in the US. Use of the supplement form is possibly safe, and have been used in clinical trials up to 12 weeks. It appears to be effective in chronic venous deficiency and ocular stress from glare. There is not enough evidence to support grapeseed extract for other uses. Grapes are also loaded with an antioxidant caused resveratrol. This has been shown to reduce multiple cancer risks. Is there enough in here to do anything? Doubtful. The best source of grape antioxidants is red wine. So if you needed an excuse to drink red wine, now you have one. (BTW the wine pill didn’t work in studies). You could even come up with a new drink, the zeal mixer!

L-arginine – L-arganine is a vasodialator and has been safely used in lab trials up to 3 months. It seems most effective at treating erectile dysfunction, angina, congestive heart failure, AIDS related wasting, and other vascular diseases. It is unlikely to be effective for athletic performance and myocardial infraction. Nothing wrong with it, you just probably don’t need a supplemental form of it.

Glycine – Orally, glycine is used for schizophrenia, strokes, memory enhancement, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), protection of the liver and kidneys, and cancer prevention. It is also used in the treatment of G6PD deficiencies. It may be effective in the treatment of schizophrenia and stroke. It seems to be relatively safe when used orally/topically, however it has not been evaluated in pregnant or lactating women.

Lysine – Clinically lysine is used for preventing and treating clinical symptoms of recurrent herpes simplex labialis. It is also used as an aid to improving athletic performance. It is potentially effective for the treatment of herpese simplex labailis. It has not been proven to be effective for athletic performance. Lysine seems generally well tolerated up to 12 months and has not been evaluated for use on pregnant and lactating mothers.

Tyrosine – Tyrosine is effective for the medicinal treatment of Phenylketonuria (PKU). (They do this by making a formula and substitute tyrosine for phenylalanine). It may also work well for treating sleep disorders. It is considered safe and granted GRAS status for the amounts occurring in foods, and seems well tolerated in clinical trials lasting up to 3 months.

Orthanine – What is with all of the EAAs in this? Can’t you just eat some meat? Oh well, this is used for the enhancement of athletic performance, reduction of glutamine toxicity, and wound healing. No clinical safety studies have been performed, and it appears to be ineffective for athletic performance.

Yerba mate – Yerba mate is used as a beverage in South America and is used as a stimulant to relieve mental fatigue. The caffeine content is roughly equal or slightly less than that of coffee. It is safe when consumed as a drink, and possibly unsafe when consumed in large quantities or supplemented. Use of more than 300 mg/day of caffeine can lead to dependency, tachyarrhythmias, and sleep disturbances. Pregnant women should avoid ingesting more than 200 mg/day. Furthermore, mate has been linked to oral cancer in the fetus, children, even in adults with long term use. Wait, coffee is better and it doesn’t give you cancer, what gives?

Kudzu – Typically, this has been used for the natural treatment of alcoholism, hangovers, angina, upset stomach, dizziness, and vomiting. Its use has been relatively safe in clinical trials lasting up to 4 months. It has been clinically evaluated for angina, stroke, menopause, and alcoholism with inconclusive results. It does grow like a weed and everywhere, so if they find a use for this, more power to them.

Fennel – Historically fennel’s therapeutic use is increasing lactation, promoting menstruation, facilitating birth, an abortifacient, and increasing libido. Fennel is likely safe and has obtained GRAS status in amounts generally used in food. In medicinal doses, its safety has not been evaluated. It should be avoided while pregnant and breast feeding in therapeutic doses due to the fact that it can lead to neurotoxicity in the child. This seems relatively effective for colic when combined with other ingredients, but, the side effects for children… Play this one like turmeric. Packed with antioxidants, use it in your food, just not medicinally.

“Proprietary PROTECT Blend”

Aloe – Orally, aloe is used for osteoarthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases including ulcerative colitis, fever, itching and inflammation, and as a general tonic. Topically, aloe is used for burns, wound healing, hemorrhoids, posthemorrhoidectomy pain, psoriasis, sunburn, frostbite, inflammation, osteoarthritis, and cold sores. It is also applied topically as an antiseptic and as a moisturizer. Aloe gel is safe when used orally, topically, and appropriately. Aloe Latex may be unsafe if consumed orally can lead to renal failure and death. People claim that the juice helps regulate your stomach. I’d roll with the probiotics instead.

Goji (Lycuim)- Herbal remedies for goji are used for diabetes, hypertension, fever, malaria, and cancer. It’s also used for improving circulation, erectile dysfunction, abortifacient, dizziness, tinnitus; and as an eye tonic for blurred vision, macular degeneration, and other ophthalmic disorders. It is likely safe in quantities naturally occuring and food and medicinally for healthy individuals up to 3 months in clinical trials. It should be avoided by pregnant mothers due to it’s traditional use as an abortifacient. Studies indicate that it could potentially be used to increase quality of life, but are inconclusive with a small n of participants.

Acai berry- Historically, acai has been taken for osteoarthritis, hypercholesterolemia, erectile dysfunction, weight loss and obesity, detoxification, aging skin, metabolic syndrome, and for improving general health. Acai is relatively safe consumed as a berry or juice. Supplemental use has not been evaluated. Preliminary research shows acai supplements can be safely taken up to a month, and have lowered fasting glucose and total cholesterol levels on obese patients. No effect was seen on LDLs. Acai berries contain an abundance of Monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. (omega fats). This over touted “superfood” gets put to shame by blueberries and pomegranates in the antioxidant department. You can also actually go to the store and buy blueberries and poms.

Noni – Noni is used for colic, convulsions, cough, diabetes, dysuria, stimulating menstrual flow, fever, hepatosis, constipation, leukorrhea, malarial fever, and nausea. It is also used for smallpox, splenomegaly, swelling, asthma, arthritis and other bone and joint problems, cancer, cataracts, colds, depression, digestive problems, and gastric ulcers. Also it has been used in a preparation to aid childbirth and as an abortifacient. It is possibly safe to eat the fruit, however, noni juice, tea, and supplements have show to be hepatoxic. It is unknown if noni was the cause of hepatoxicity. Noni has been used as a natural abortifacient, and should be avoided by pregnant mothers. Noni may be mildy effective at eliminating post operative vomiting. Insufficient reliable evidence exists to assess for other purposes. Noni fruit is high in potassium, vitamin a, and vitamin c.

Ionic minerals – Trace amounts of minerals including copper, gold, silver, boron, silicone, and zinc in extremely small amounts are required for bodily operation, and are regularly found in foods. Boron, magnesium, and silicone are required for bone health.

Stevia – Orally, stevia is used as a weight loss aid, for treating diabetes, contraception, hypertension, heartburn, lowering uric acid levels, and as a cardiotonic and diuretic.
In foods, stevia is used as a non-caloric sweetener and flavor enhancer. Stevia has GRAS status in the US as a sweetener in foods. I have to say, they got it right on this one. The results keep coming in about hypertension and blood sugar control for diabetes folks. I use this stuff myself. If you are using an artificial sweetener, use this one.

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)- This form of vitamin C is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a water soluble vitamin. Vitamin C is an extremely important nutrient. It increases the bioavailability of iron and can reverse the effects of scurvy between 2 days and 3 weeks. Vitamin C is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis.

Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol – This form of vitamin E is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a fat soluble vitamin. Vitamin E is used for replacement therapy in vitamin E deficiency, treating and preventing cardiovascular disease, including slowing atherogenesis and preventing heart attacks. It is used orally for angina, thrombophlebitis, intermittent claudication, hypertension, and preventing ischemia-reperfusion injury after coronary artery bypass surgery. Vitamin E is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis.

Retinol palmitate (Vitamin A) – This form of vitamin A is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a fat soluble vitamin. Orally, vitamin A is used for vitamin A deficiency, improving vision, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, cataracts, infection, and improving immune function. Vitamin A is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis. It is likely ineffective for anemia, cancer, and pneumonia. Beta carotene is what really works for AMD, but who’s counting?

Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (Vitamin B6)- This form of vitamin B is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a water soluble vitamin. Orally, pyridoxine is used most commonly for treating premenstrual syndrome (PMS), vitamin B6 deficiency, “morning sickness” in pregnancy, depression associated with pregnancy or oral contraceptive use, primary homocystinuria, hyperhomocysteinemia, Alzheimer’s disease, and preventing neuritis associated with isoniazid or penicillamine. Vitamin B6 is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis.

niacinamide (Vitamin B3)- This form of vitamin B is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a water soluble vitamin. Orally, niacin is used for hyperlipidemia. It is also used in conjunction with other therapies for peripheral vascular disease, vascular spasm, migraine headache, Meniere’s syndrome, vertigo, and to reduce the diarrhea associated with cholera. Orally, niacin or niacinamide is also used for preventing vitamin B3 deficiency, treating pellagra, schizophrenia, drug-induced hallucinations, Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline, chronic brain syndrome, hyperkinesis, depression, motion sickness, alcohol dependence, vasculitis associated with skin lesions, and edema. Vitamin B3 is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis.

thiamin (Vitamin B1) – This form of vitamin B is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a water soluble vitamin. Orally, thiamine is used for thiamine deficiency syndromes, including beriberi, peripheral neuritis associated with pellagra, and neuritis of pregnancy. Vitamin B1 is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis.

riboflavin|riboflavin (Vitamin B2) – This form of vitamin B is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a water soluble vitamin. B2 is used for preventing riboflavin deficiency, treating ariboflavinosis, preventing migraine headaches, treating acne, congenital methemoglobinemia, muscle cramps, preventing cervical cancer, burning feet syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, red blood cell aplasia, multiple acylcoenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency, eye fatigue, cataracts, and glaucoma. Vitamin B2 is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis.

cholecalcipherol (Vitamin D) – This form of vitamin D is found in foods such as fortified dairy and mushrooms, sun exposure, and over the counter supplements. It is a fat soluble vitamin. Vitamin D is a key vitamin for bone health, and in the prevention of rickets. Doses in excess of the tolerable UL should be under physician care.

folic acid (Vitamin B complex) – This form of vitamin B is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a water soluble vitamin. Orally, folic acid is used for preventing and treating folate deficiency, megaloblastic anemia resulting from folate or vitamin B12 deficiency, megaloblastic anemia in sickle cell disease, and for folate deficiency in intestinal malabsorption or sprue. It is also used for preventing neural tube defects, reducing the risk of colorectal and cervical cancer, and preventing pregnancy loss. Folic Acid is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis.

biotin (Vitamin B7 or Vitamin H) – This form of vitamin B/H is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a water soluble vitamin. Biotin is used for preventing and treating biotin deficiency associated with pregnancy, long-term parenteral nutrition, malnutrition, rapid weight loss, and multiple carboxylase deficiency. It is also used orally for hair loss, brittle nails, seborrheic dermatitis of infancy, diabetes, and mild depression. It seems to be ineffective for brittle nails and diabetes. Biotin is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis.

Methylcobalamin – This form of vitamin B is found in foods, and over the counter supplements. It is a water soluble vitamin. Vitamin B12 is used for treating pernicious anemia and preventing and treating vitamin B12 deficiency. It is also used orally for treating primary hyperhomocysteinemia, heart disease, male infertility, diabetes, memory loss, circadian rhythm sleep disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, psychiatric disorders, osteoporosis, tendonitis, immunosuppression, AIDS, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), asthma, allergies, vitiligo, preventing cervical cancer, and seborrheic dermatitis. Vitamin B12 is safe as long as the UL (Upper level) intake is not exceeded on a regular basis.

If you are still with me after accepting that HUGE information download… there is a ton of stuff in there that your body DOESN’T need. At the end of the day, I know why it somewhat works. The placebo effect. It causes you to get off your butt and start working out. Plus, if you follow their “Zeal Challenge” and the low calorie diet which goes with it, you are going to lose weight. That is nothing you couldn’t get from going to http://www.choosemyplate.gov (Ok, maybe it is grain heavy) If you want to pay for it, that is on you.

At the end of the day, we all know why people recommend this and try to sell it, regardless of the safety concerns.

Yep, the dollar signs. Instead of pink like mary kay (which isn’t that terrible for you) they have black. Just remember, if you are considering this stuff, the person selling it to you isn’t thinking about you, they are thinking about that nice black car.

” ABOUT YOUR QUOTE I love how he was magically energized at the mere thought of drinking this. Ironically, the skepdic dictionary seems to define this anomaly quite well. http://skepdic.com/placebo.html ” I gave a sample bottle to a coworker who was sleepy and hungover. He knew nothing about Zeal or what he was drinking. Within 20 seconds of him finishing the whole sample bottle fast, his eyes went wide open and said “WOW, what is in that!” Placebo – I find it funny since he is not a distributor or a customer. 1st sample, 1st reaction! People who really have nothing to gain are honest in their reaction. Its a shame agenda driven people can’t do the same.

I thought this was extremely educational… it was definitely a long read however… you showed all kinds of resources and I really appreciate it… I have been on the edge of trying this product. .. I started researching it due to the fact that I have only heard great reviews from people who would “have and agenda” they arr selling it trying to get that car you are talking about or the “40, 000 dollar paycheck a month!!! I have taken 2 samples of it… I felt nothing other than I drank it late in the evening and I couldnt sleep all night… after I asked if there was any caffeine because I have been off caffeine for over a year and was assured there was absolutely none… after I drank it they said well… There is a very small amount you could only tell if you are sensative to it… yeah I was quite sensative!! I saw on a couple things it was unhealthy for pregnant women but at thesr meetings people were giving thise product to young children! ? If this product is unsafe for children why and how is it legal for this company to lead people to believe that it is great for all ages to include young children!? My husband has type 1 diabetes they talk abput how it was “curing” people… unless my husbands indocrinoligist uneducated there is no “cure” for type 1 diabetes right? I mean if your pancreas doesn’t work it can’t be “jump started”… I am sorry to ask so many questions but extremely curious! ! Thank you for taking the time to read this and to write about this!!

I do not sell Zeal nor do I intend to. My sister use to sell it but no longer does. I began taking it 6 months ago. Because of the cost, I recently decided to try another vitamin instead. I have actually tried many but most nauseate me. I found one multi vitamin that didn’t nauseate me and tried it 2 days. My energy level plummeted and I was more fatigued than before. Zeal is costly but in my book is worth the money. I work 7 days a week and must keep my energy level high. I am 59 years old. I now have to purchase my Zeal off EBAY but feel the health benefits for me are worth the effort. I truly believe in this product. It makes a huge difference in my life.

I’ve been take the Zeal for 2 weeks and my life changes. The tiredness in the morning was gone. I feel so fresh and focus. My active level is up and I become more positive so yhat I can make decisions better for my health. I know Zeal is just supplement not a medicine or cure for diseases. Hoeever, I saw many of people drink Spark in my area or monster drink, 5 hour energy drink , sodas, all kinds of fake boost energy stuffs and eating junk foid. If Zeal is that much dangerous, don’t you think Coca Cola or cigarette is worse than that? I will take Zeal rather than all the fake & junk food. Not all home remedies or natural herbals were not proofed but we still believe those and use because they work!

I appreciate your research into zeal and all the information you have shared. I received a sample of zeal from a friend and while I definitely noticed a pick up…my stomach has felt awful. After reading this and some other information out there, I realize why. I usually make much smarter decisions and should have looked into this before trying but like many I was excited about this miracle supplement! It amazes me how some people think…like drinking this is better then monster etc., yes, but why would you want to take anything that you are unsure of and risk future health issues. Getting hit by a car would probably be better then getting hit by a semi truck too… I think I’ll stick to the good old fashion real foods, lesson learned for me! Thanks again for the information and trying to help people think more about what they are taking in.

In your information, I appreciate the education on each ingredient. But if I’m not mistaken, none of it is BAD for you, just not proven , and prob not a good idea for pregnancy which neither is sugar, soda or processed foods. Lol. So in trying to understand, you are just saying that some or many of the distributors are stretching truths just to sell the product. Almost all of the ingredients are Dr. Oz suggested natural and helpful items to use daily. I don’t use the product or sell it, but from what I see, it is not a bad or unhealthy product. My moms medications actually have worse chemicals and side affects.
So I guess my question is this, are you suggesting the product is unhealthy? Or that it simply is unsubstantiated in its claims?
Thank you for your reply.

Unfortunately, you are trusting OTC vitamins when you know they are also NOT supervised by anyone, and potentially do not contain effective ingredients. Please check out USANA vitamins. Expensive, but actually DO contain quality ingredients listed on the label. I do not advocate any of these, but fail to see why Zeal products are dangerous, yet OTC vitamins are not??? Please advise.

I have referenced how OTC vitamins and supplements can be supervised by someone, and can garner a quality seal from NSF, GMP, or USP by adhering to strict standards and ensuring that the correct ratio of ingredients are in there, and the purity of them. I have noticed that USANA does have some verified supplements. I have also found a couple of things that aren’t terribly healthy with their supplements. It isn’t like zeal where every single supplement contains something that can potentially harm someone and it is in unknown amounts and is unverified. I have always advocated for the verified OTC vitamins. For more information check this out.

Is that the claim? Because I thought they were claiming their (same) compounds were more bioavailable than others. I mean do you know what stomach acid is? HCl. Disolves about about everything eventually. But consumerlabs does disolving tests too. What is to keep you from crushing up your multivitamin anyways of you think that is all there is to it? It would certainly be cheaper. What I meant to say is : wrong, try again!

Look up absorption rate of vitamin isolates OTC vitamins and natural vitamins. OTC vitamin isolates absorb 5-10% while natural vitamins/food concentrates absorb MUCH better due to the enzymes, trace minerals, antioxidants surrounding the vitamin
(how they are found in nature). Obviously the liquid form will hit more absorption sites. The fact that all of the vitamins are no more than 100% of your daily value except for the B vitamins means that your body isn’t circulating tons of junk that isn’t absorbing and making your system toxic. Almost all of the vitamin isolates I have seen have 3,000% of your daily value in them if not much more.You are telling people there is no difference when in fact there is. Sure there are some vitamin isolates in zeal but the natural food concentrates will have all of the other parts of the matrix surrounding the vitamin that will help it absorb and obviously the food concentrates will absorb because it is extremely similar to natural berries, plants, etc. found in nature. All of your information misses this HUGE point. You honestly seem like you just read a bunch of studies and had some agenda rather than actually stopping to think. It is possible for people to feel much better after a short period of time because 90% of American are mineral deficient due to our soils having 20-25% of the minerals in them that they had in 1914 (study funded by the US Senate). Your body naturally wants to reach homeostasis and if you give it the right building blocks it can repair itself fairly quickly. As far as people losing weight it will happen with an increase in nutrition. When you raise the nutritional value of your diet through food or a supplement (provided it actually absorbs) your body no longer has as many cravings. It balances out the calorie vs nutritional value scale. Cravings come from your body searching for NUTRITION not calories unless you aren’t eating enough but hey its 2014 everyone is eating too much. BTW please change your username. You are no “supplement expert” just a misinformed idiot who reads a bunch of research studies without knowing what he’s looking for and the inability to think for himself.

So, my question is, you would take over the counter vitamins over Zeal? I’ve never taken any over the counter products beside tylenol and want to start taking a supplemental vitamin. Please help me decide what to take, I’m very confused about rhe product because most of what I just read on your post says Zeal was mostly safe?

well informed article. I tried a Zeal drink and I was very energized… I would like to feel that way without any stimulants. I don’t think its a horrible product but if I was pregnant or considering getting pregnant I would not take it. I try to stay as natural as humanly possible so I appreciated the info on supplements found here.

Howdy, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one
and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam comments?
If so how do you prevent it, any plugin or anything you can suggest?
I get so much lately it’s driving me crazy so any support is very much appreciated.

I was having period cramps, and it cured my cramps after drinking just a sample bottle.

This is sarcasm….
The energy everyone claims from the guarana, and the naturally occurring caffeine. He’s right if your body can’t break down and absorb multi vitamins and there are similar or the same vitamins then why would this be any different? It’s a fancy energy drink. I am not about western meds but, 9 times out of 10 if it’s a pyramid scheme it’s a wash.. Why not just drink lots of water, eat health and exercise?

I just ordered the wellness drink. It was like 97$ total. I started today. I usually take a woman’s one a day multi vitamin but it was so big I felt like I wasn’t digesting it. My consultant told me that they don’t digest and zeal is way better.

I don’t see how that would be possible. The zeal contains the EXACT SAME vitamin compounds in it as a regular OTC multivitamin, plus it adds in dangerous herbals. I am sure the consultant did tell you that they don’t digest and zeal is better. They want you to pay them instead of you paying naturemade $0.09 per day for the same thing and someone up the chain told them the exact same thing and the misinformation unfortunately got passed to you.

I used to take a hand full of OTC vitamins everyday and I will tell you why I switched to Zeal. I had gastric bypass surgery in 2006 and my body simply does not have the ability to break down and absorb the OTC vitamins. I took Zeal to my personal doctor and she said it would be good for me based on the fact that when it is consumed it is in liquid form and not in pill form. So in my opinion if I am able to get more benefits from Zeal so would anyone else who are currently taking OTC vitamins. I have taken OTC vitamins for years and never noticed any difference in the way I felt. I thought that is just the way things were, however I do feel better with Zeal. I will continue to use it.

What makes the vitamins in zeal better than the ones in an OTC supplement. It has several in common, and I know I have written about them. (When talking about it in the wellness section). Most synthetic vitamins disolve just as well and quickly as organic ones. The only glaring exception is the tocopherol (Vitamin E). The D-alpha is absorbed better than the DL- alpha. Zeal has the D-alpha, so good on them.

Being in the nutraceutical business, I like to try many new supplements on the market that look promising and usually get it analyzed by one of my partners who is a Ph.D. in biochemistry. He found it to be pretty stable. The scientist that formulated Zeal for Zurvita is Mark McKnight who has an extensive background and has worked on hundreds of nutritional supplements now sold at GNC and other stores. He used to be on the Zeal promotional website but is no longer, so not sure if there may be any internal issues. I am also trying to work on an organic all-in-one supplement, but may take some time. As a company we have found that many supplement users hate taking multiple supplements everyday and would rather take one powder drink in the morning, so the Zeal concept was obviously well thought out. I decided to try it for a few months and actually found some positive results and tracked them for consistency, energy, mental and symptom relief and it worked well for the first 3 months. After that, my body stopped reacting to it other than the energy boost created obviously from the Guarana. Apparently, Zurvita pushes the fact that Zeal for Life is for life, but in fact the retention rate is not very good as most consultants quit after about 5 months. I see this company eventually going back to church praying for another way to steal money from consumers. Always be weary of Newtork (pyramid) marketing companies and those who push their religious beliefs in their marketing material as a way of reassuring people that they are actually good people. This company was rather callous in taking money from their consultants and I know a few (whom I purchased from for my experiment) that were left with no support and pretty dry.

I saw that on one of the facebook pages myself. I just chuckled then shook my head. I suppose I could start a separate thread about how dumb it is to give a supplement designed for humans to your mutt (grapes can kill dogs for example) but I am neither a vet or an expert in dog nutrition.

I only know how it makes me feel. I am a skeptic. Always have been. I have more energy after my Zeal. My multi-vitamins have never given me the energy boost. My lab results have improved. I did become a consultant. However, I sell a little bit and give away much, much more to people who don’t feel well. I don’t make claims. I only give my testimony. By the way, I could care less about a car. I only want to feel better and want others to feel better.

I would tend to agree that caffeine/glucose (IE: redbull, soft drinks, coffee/tea with sugar) probably would. Of straight sugar like that, I would expect you to feel a crash. However, a large amount of caffeine in it’s own right? Probably not so much. I drink about 24 oz of coffee in the morning (about 300-400mg) and that lasts me throughout the day. It should taper down slowly, and does for me. Interested in knowing why? Caffeine has a higher half life than most people think. While in the medical world, a 6 hour half life isn’t terribly long, it is pretty dang long. If you don’t know what the half life is, it is just like the half life of radioactive material you probably learned about in chemistry, but with your body instead. It is the amount of time it takes your body to eliminate one half of a given substance. So after 6 hours, I am still rolling on 150mg of caffeine. Not as good as 300, but still noticeable, and no quick drop off. It is worth noting if you have any liver conditions, the caffeine hangs out a lot longer, as it is mainly processed through the liver.

Healthy?
I took 4 days sample of the Zeal for Life Wellness samples. For the last 2 days I have been like a zombie, feel horrid, like I’ve been drugged, haven’t been able to function. Has anyone else had this problem?

Theresa that is your body getting adjusted to the vitamins it is getting. A lot of people are so depleted from vitamins because our food is not nutritious as it once was. We process and destroy the nutrients in the food. With zeal I have my energy back after having two kids and I can go run 4 miles without any pain in my knee. Also I have endometriosis and an auto immune disease that I suffered with and since I have been taking zeal, 6 months, I have not had any suffering! And I did stop craving soda. You can get on here and listen to some guy you don’t know talk his head off about the product but the doctors who designed zeal are amazing and it has helped a lot of people. Don’t knock it until you try it. And every vitamin, antioxidant, and nutrient in zeal is great for your body.

Ashley, I have no idea where you get your info from (like so many other zeal reps, you fail to cite your sources). How is our food not nutritionally adequate? I have found some stuff. It is usually due to soil depletion. They say numbers are down about 25%. So instead of my kale topping off the charts with 500% of my vitamin C, I may only get 400%. Plus, I see no difference between the plants in zeal and the plants everywhere else.

Ashley, you clearly don’t know ANYTHING about nutrition. No, vitamins don’t make you feel worse before you feel better. This response really highlites your ignorance, and this is why I can’t stand MLM supplement companies- their structure relies on normal people dispensing products they know NOTHING about. It’s one thing to get people to try your product, but its a whole other thing to give people FALSE information to trick them into taking something that CLEARLY does not work for them. There is no magic bullet, and your product won’t work for everybody. Get over it.

Theresa, if its making you feel lousey just stop taking it. You’re probably having a reaction to one of the many herbs in the Zeal. Because of the myriad of herbs and their effects, however, it’s damn near impossible to say which one(s) you’re reacting to.

I was just stating how it’s helped me. Don’t go on some power trip. Nobody was rude to you. If it is not for you then it’s not. But it has helped many people I know. That is what I was CLEARLY stating. And I have researched my nutrition and I have family that are doctors.

However, you WERE giving false information when you clearly have no real expertise in this area. And I don’t care if your family are doctors! Saying that just highlites part of the issue here. You are not an expert in this area (or at least, have yet to demonstrate that you are), but apparently you are under the impression that you can ride on the coat-tails of your family’s credentials.

I’m actually genuinely happy for you- I’m glad Zeal has helped you. Just realize that this stuff ISN’T a magic bullet and its NOT for everybody. This sort of one-size-fits-all approach will only get you so far.

I would like to ask what expertise you have that gives you credentials to make such statements? Your opinions of Zeal are just that, opinions. They are not based upon factual information.

You obviously are a disgruntled person who had prior unsuccessful experiences with our company. Shame on you.

We have a medical team of qualified advisors, Medical Doctors, and others whom are well versed in health and nutrition. They stand behind our products. And, for your information, my personal neurologist consumes this product, and refers her patients to me. Merely for the fact it has Tumerac as one of the ingredients.

You obviously just wanted to jump into insulting me. I state my credentials, where I get my information, and why I make the assertations that I do. Believe it or not, whenever I do make a claim, I support it with usually more than one scientific study. That is pretty factual if you ask me, and something else that your crew woefully lacks on. Standing behind a crew of non-practicing docs who’s primary goal is profit is hardly a tip in your favor. Mind me asking who this neurologist is?

Seems you could find better things to do as well, instead of trying to falsely and poorly discredit me.

You’ve done your homework on the product and it seems that over 90+% of what you show is actually good for your body. I guess my question to you would be, what are you taking that is so much better? I take Zeal and have never felt better. No placebo effect as prior to taking Zeal i was taking a handful of vitamins and I find it a much easier way of taking the same nutrients and much more. I had a nurse tell me that she has performed colonoscopies on patients and have found multivitamins intact that have never dissolved in the body. Drinking in liquid form eliminates the undissolved tablet. Regardless of your claims, I feel that it would mean so much more if you were a past Zeal user that possibly never felt the benefits that you get from Zeal or if your Doctor told you that your lab work came back so much better that you can eliminate some medications from your regimen.
The body is a wonderful machine that needs the proper nutrition to not only make it work but also to help heal itself. Some people that don’t experience the same results as others may have done irreparable damage that even the proper nutrients can’t help.
I appreciate your concise description of the ingredients as I find not much that I can’t tell someone how wonderful the product is for them. I just started giving my mother Zeal for Alzheimers and quite frankly if it only helps her a little bit….then I’m a big fan.

Thanks for you efforts, people need to be educated on what they put in their body and I will continue taking Zeal as it really is loaded with the best ingredients to help me live a full and happy life.

How do you know the ingredients are the best? Sure, some, if not most of the ingredients are fine, but several of them pose dangers to certain demographics. My problems with the wellness drink were that it was being marketed incorrectly (read my post on pregnancy). I have aired out my laundry list of problems with the burn and cleanse pills, which are not good products at all, and the system as a whole is actually pretty poor. I believe I have said before that there is little problem with a healthy male taking the wellness drink.

I’m looking at a canister of it right now I found in my mother’s pantry… Not only does it have exact amounts and percentages of the ingredients used on the label, it clearly states that pregnant women and children and people sensitive to caffeine should not take the product. And it looks like there is a Guarana free option. Your major beefs are addressed right there. I’d call corporate directly and skip the consultants if you want to get real answers next time. Skip the money makers. If people are gorging on carbs and sugars and missing all these supplements from their daily diet anyway, taking this has to be worth something. It seems like a first step to better health.

Umm, I just looked again. Yeah, it has RDA percentages listed (always have), but not the amounts of each herb in it. I know off hand it was being reccommended to pregnant and breast feeding women by unscrupulous sales reps. I get atleast 50 hits a day from people looking up if it safe for pregnat women and children. Obviously, the word isn’t out and people still feel the need to google it. People still claim it doesn’t have caffeine (read my caffeine post) and even the guarana free version STILL does. Yerba has caffeine. Furthermore yerba has been linked to oral cancer in infants, children, and even adults. Funny thing is, you think you are the first person that has said something like this ad didn’t read the rest of my blog, huh?

Let’s see…. as a supplement expert, you then know that Moringa Oleifera is a galactagogue that helps lactating mothers produce more milk for their infants.(BreastNexus) Let’s see… Zeal has in it…Moringa Oleifera. Now, as a consultant, I am told that it is in the customer’s best interest to check with their physician for expectant mothers. As with any supplement, it must be taken wisely and never go off of any prescribed medications without first consulting with your physician. Overall, Zeal is formulated to give everyone as much nutrients as they need in a very convenient one a day drink that is easier to take than a multitude of pills. Give credit where credit is due. The more people that will drink the drink that have issues taking pills will get more value with Zeal than any other product.
Thanks for your diligence examining the product and trying to keep everyone safe. Our goal is to make as many people whole as possible. While it may not work for everyone, it works very well for the masses.

Why not just one multivitamin pill? What is wrong with that? You don’t just HAVE to have all of those herbals as the reps/”doctors” would have you think. Most aren’t even supported. I mean, yeah, your right about the moringa, but that is just one piece of the puzzle. Go to the library and look at this. It supports your assertation about increasing milk volume.
Estrella M, Mantaring J, David G, Taup M. A double blind, randomised controlled trial on the use of malunggay (Moringa oleifera) for augmentation of the volume of breastmilk among non-nursing mothers of preterm infants. Philipp J Pediatr 2000;49:3-6.

But really, why not just take the moringa if that is your goal? Furthermore, the stuff would be dangerous for pregnant moms. There is other things in Zeal that are bad for breast feeding moms. Would you suggest that the negative is outweighted by the good? I think not. I like to use white bread for an example. Everyone says it has vitamins and minerals, but those are added. White bread in and of itself is not healthy. Your body sees it as straight sugar. There are far better ways to get your vitamins and minerals. One or two healthy/decent ingredients a healthy choice does not make if the rest is questionable.

Oh, and kudos to you for telling people to check with their doc. Most of them don’t.

So I see the pros and cons to all of what you are saying. I do believe if you eat correctly you will have the needed and necessary benefits of your daily intake of vitamins. I also understand the obvious that any drink with caffeine will make you feel great….at least for a time. I’m not a consultant or biast party, I’m just looking up all kinds of various health supplements and trying to be a good consumer by looking up things. I found this list very informative, however I found on the zeal wellness canister and I quote “this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you’re on any prescription medications consult your doctor before use. Not recommended for children, pregnant woman, or people sensitive to caffeine.”
So are you more dissatisfied with the actual product , the claim made by uneducated consultants, or both :) just curious. Also, please forgive me if you’ve touched on this matter, I haven’t read a whole lot of your material as I just stumbled across this, but I was curious if you’ve compared or looked at other supplements in comparison to zeal. Such as it works the greens, or plexus, etc…. In your opinion how do those things measure up and compare and is there anything out there you would recommend…
I would like your opinion :) thanks

Consumer labs has a great write up on the energy greens/whole food powders that they tested. Many of them had some form of lead/mercury or other contaiminants. The $35 a year that CL costs pays for itself if you are into supplements. Swanson green foods powder seems to have done well on the test, and was the least expensive per serving, and amazing grass green superfood seems decent as well, albiet more expensive. Juice plus is probably the least threatening, and can be taken in pill form. Those have been tested for purity and such. Not that I would give them a super clear bill, I am sure I could find something wrong with them, but overall probably better, cheaper, and just as, if not more effective.

Funny, I ran across this blog just at random while checking the stock price of ZRVT. I was a major skeptic when my wife started consuming it. I was more of a two red bull a day guy with a job that requires that I maintain mental alertness and energy. But in the end, that regimen would leave me feeling strung out (understandably so). Now, I’ve switched to Zeal. For the past 2+ years, I’ve cut out the Cokes, Red Bulls, and pretty much any junk food all together. I believe switching to Zeal has allowed me to do that. I’ll drink it instead of a cup of coffee in the morning, and it keeps me focused. For me, even after reading the posts above, the trade off was worth it. Again, I’m a skeptic by nature; however, Zeal impressed me so much, I made a very small investment to purchase some of their stock. No, I’m not a seller. That’s not my nature even though I’m a Zeal fan. I can only offer testimony based on my experience.

In South America, Guarana is very popular, and there is more current information there.

There are three powerful alkaloids found in the guaraná seed, guaranine, chemically identical to natural caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. These alkaloids tone the central nervous system, the heart, and additionally they promote mental focus and clarity, with the added enhancement of memory functions., Guaraná benefits from phytonutrients and their link to the fatty molecules in their seeds. This allows the guaraná caffeine to be absorbed gently over a sustained time period of 4-6 hours, thus providing the lasting stamina and alertness we all want. The result is a beneficial energizer for the heart and brain that is mild on the body. In contrast, the caffeine found in coffee beans gives a sudden rush with a relatively fast unhealthy drop off.

On studies performed on rats, guaraná increased memory retention and physical endurance when compared with a placebo. A 2007 study on humans in a double-blind, counterbalanced, placebo-controlled study assessed the acute mood and cognitive effects throughout the day of a standardised guaraná extract. Guaraná improved secondary memory performance and increased alert and content mood ratings further supporting previous findings of cognitive improvements following guaraná consumption. The study indicates that the effects could not be attributed to caffeine alone.

Preliminary research has also shown guaraná may affect how quickly the body perceives itself to be full. One study showed an average 11.2 pound (5.1 kilogram) weight loss in a group taking a mixture of yerba mate, guaraná, and damiana, compared to an average one pound loss in a placebo group after 45 days.

Other laboratory studies have shown antioxidant and antibacterial effects, and also fat cell reduction in mice when combined with conjugated linoleic acid (as found in açaí) from frequent intake of guaraná. Furthermore, guaraná has been found to stimulate the flow of lipids, so fat can more readily be burned as energy. In this action it helps the body use up accumulated excess calories. It has also been proven to help the body reduce the number of adipocytes (fat storage in the tissues). In South America, guaraná is popular for treating cellulite and obesity.

Shew! Sounds like a lot of poking going on here! — As a person whom has had some pretty bad issues with Crhons , I have looked really hard BEFORE starting use of the product why I shouldn’t be involved. Well I have to say that after my research I have been using the wellness for couple monts now and ” I FEEL GREAT ! ” The doc say to keep on keeping on and live long and prosper!

You seem to have too much time on your hands, supplementexpert, making a whole website to slam one company that makes healthy stuff. I have never tried their products but am familiar with a lot of the ingredients in this list which looks to be power packed with goodness. It seems in spite of your best efforts a lot of people are enjoying the product. I wonder how many people this horrible demon product has killed. Do you work for a drug company? They build whole websites to discredit natural products that work, like that failed physician that works for drug companies, you know, the one who sits in his basement and runs that quack website? Just wondering because of all the effort you put into this. Seriously? I was looking for reviews on this product before I tried it and found this. I think I will try it, and take your review with a grain of salt. (See what I did there?)

Oh I am sorry. I didn’t mean to touch such a strong nerve with my ridiculous accusation as if the quack were you. As far as pissing in your blog, I think you do a good enough job at that yourself without me reading the whole thing. It is not worth my time just as it is not worth your time to be respectful to your guests. Good day, now.

A motivating discussion is worth comment. I think that you need
to publish more about this issue, it may not be a taboo matter but usually folks
don’t talk about such subjects. To the next! All the
best!!

Someone gave me a sample bottle yesterday. I have a mechanical heart valve and will be on Coumadin which is closely monitored, for the rest of my life. I also have no thyroid so have to take medication for that also. These are meds I would never go off as it would be stupidity. Someone else tried to get me to try Plexus and my cardiologist said absolutely not. Herbs mess with Coumadin and could actually cause a clot to form that stops the valve and causes immediate death. Looking at the herbs on this bottle of Zeal I was given yesterday, I know my cardiologist will say no. I am not willing to risk my life in taking herbs that counteract with my Coumadin. It’s also crazy expensive! For those of you that feel better on this great. I would think healthy eating and exercise would help more, along with not costing an arm and leg. I’m always amazed at what “magic potions” people are willing to try. Thanks for the info provided here and I’m positive my cardiologist, endocrinologist, and internist would each tell me “absolutely not” when I show them this bottle. Not that much different from Plexus and all it claims to do too.

I tried 2 small small packets of Plexus and it immediately made me vomit, have diarrhea and a headache for 3 days. I have gastroparesis, slow small and large intestines, migraines, seizures, a tortuous aorta, ibs-cic…blah blah blah. I have tried 2 zeal drinks. After the first one I couldn’t sleep and I broke out in sweats. I tried another and Bam a migraine. Maybe it’s just me….maybe not but I cannot afford to mess around with my body like that. This is why I am researching everything. If it works for you then great. I just want to get better. 5 years of being chronically ill is awful!

Thank you so much and sharing. My Doctor tells me not to take supplements with out him knowing and he wants to see whats in it of the % daily value for example, how much vitamin B-12… does it have 50 mcg 833% or how much green tea and by mg (milligrams). You have to know the full amount of milligrams so your doctor can say it is safe for me to take with my meds. Other than that if Zeal does not show the full amount of % daily value… NO WAY.

I was interested in Zeal…I don’t see anything deterring me. There are a lot of positives listed here. When you read that multivitamins purchased at the store are worthless but costly and aren’t even absorbed into our system…this seems a much better alternative. Coming from a place where nutrients for my body is much needed, I do not see any reason to not take this.

Haters gonna hate. Simply solution here. Bring the list of ingredients to your doctor and ask if you can take it whether you are pregnant or have health issues. The Guarana free CAN be taken by those who are pregnant along with a folic acid supplement as Zeal does not have enough Folic acid required during pregnancy. I personally took it while nursing my baby and a close friend took it her entire pregnancy (w/ the folic acid supplement) and had a healthy baby and delivery. For the FULL benefits of Zeal the company encourages people to be on it for at least 4 to 12 weeks although MOST people see and feel results right away. There is a testimonial page on FB with THOUSANDS of amazing personal experiences and testimonials on how Zeal has helped them. This info page is not hosted by Zeal it’s a private page that people have found and willingly share how it works for them. Don’t knock the product till you try it and always ask a physician (if you need to) before taking something new.

Did you not read where it has ingredients used for herbal abortion. Also, in an N=2 observation, both pregnant women I knew who were taking it (against my advise) had miscarriages. Think what you want, but it is people like you that purport these myths that is safe for pregnant women. On a side note, after the well dried up at my church, and the super church hopping pyramid schemer left (no one is taking this anymore at my church, thankfully), and they stopped taking this, they both had healthy, beautiful children. Zeal works for abortion, yay!